scared of grooming - any solution?

[Willow and J]

Willow is playful, happy, and sweet, but she is submissive and get easily spooked. She's not a barker nor whiner, and even when she gets spooked, she barks just a little (once or twice, usually.)

We take her to Petsmart to groom, and our groomer is very very nice lady. However, Willow is getting more and more fearful, and this morning, she was shivering in the corner with her nose toward door while we checked her in for regular grooming session. She never shivers with fear otherwise, and it's getting worse every time she gets groomed. She's peed in the past in fear, which is also unusual and only took place in the face of the groomer.

I'd like to consider grooming myself, but my hubby is not agreeing, and I can't do it without his help.  

Are there things we can do to make her less fearful of grooming?

[Pat and Traveler]

J, I would never have started grooming Trav myself if I'd found an acceptable groomer.  This is partly my fault for not knowing what to expect.  I didn't know that a standard grooming takes 4-5 hours, with several dogs being worked on during that time, all of them in and out of crates during different stages of the grooming.  One groomer said Trav drove her crazy by barking all the time.  (Trav??  He hardly ever barks!)  Another said she disliked doodles, and thought they were only bred by money-hungry opportunists and sold to status-seeking idiots.  (Uhhhhhh...how big of a tip was this lady expecting!?)   He had his muzzle shaved twice, even though I specifically asked that this not be done.  I also tried a mobile groomer, which got me a shaved dog with, once again, a shaved muzzle.

Trav hates being groomed, but he'll stand rock-steady for me while I butcher his coat perform my magic.  I believe his coat is called fleece.  It's really soft, almost like dandelion fluff.  He usually looks like Tramp--which I tell myself is an endearing, scruffy look, but in reality is just proof that I don't have a clue about what I'm doing!  But that's okay.  He will never have to pee or shiver in fear about being left with a groomer.  My own personal opinion--don't take Willow back.  You don't need your hubby to help.  Just practice, and don't expect perfection right away.  She won't care how she looks, and you'll get more confident.  Best of luck!      

[Bonnie and Kona]

So well stated, Pat! The first time I groomed Kona he looked pretty pitiful. It gets better each time, and he couldn't care less. He stands perfectly still for however long I need to have him do it. Kona needs to be clipped every 3 months at least because he mats when his hair gets 3 inches long. Owen has only had two haircuts. He is not as patient (but that would be in every area not just grooming). The thing is he only needs a haircut about 2 x a year. His coat sheds a tiny bit but doesn't mat. I do not do both boys on the same day. Then I follow them around with a scissors for a few days finding a stray clump sticking out here and there. I think they are gorgeous anyway and my DH says they are the best looking dogs he's ever seen. ;o)

[F, Calla & Luca]

I cut bits of uneven coat off for several days after I groom my doodles too.

[Pat and Traveler]

Bonnie, your DH is right--Kona and Owen are gorgeous.  You do a much better job than I do with grooming, and I know what you mean about following them around for a few days with scissors looking for those stray clumps.  lol

 

[Bonnie and Kona]

How sweet of you, Pat... I think Traveler is adorable and I just love his name. Mutual admiration society here. Photographing dark doodles is so hard. I feel like no one can really see his amazing eyes in my pictures. Owen is so cute and funny he keeps us in stitches. 

[Willow and J]

I never imagined finding a groomer that knows how to groom AND care about the well being of the dog would be this complicated. Your past groomers are obnoxious!

Now with the help and support from DK (i.e. I'm reading all the comments aloud to DH), he might be convinced that we can do this at home. In any case, we're not going to have Willow shiver like that again!! NEVER!!

[Pat and Traveler]

You go, girl!  No more shivering!!!  You can do it!  And this is coming from a left-handed person who flunked paper-dolls because she was always cutting off the dolly feet or heads.  Giving me scissors and an amiable bunch of fur is almost too scary to contemplate.  But again--Trav doesn't care.  And so many errors just disappear into the surrounding fur.  The most obvious boo-boos happened when I accidently picked up and used the real scissors when I thought I'd gotten hold of the thinning shears.  Oh, well.  It all grows back.  lol  

[Willow and J]

Thank you, everyone, for comments. I guess we've waited too long and put Willow under too much agony. We tried a couple of local small groomers before Petsmart and didn't like them much, so once we found the one we liked at Petsmart, we stopped looking. 

I think I'll look into grooming her myself (join Grooming group first!), and meanwhile, give a couple of more groomers a chance. 

Willow came back very very excited to see us, and we walked around the store and picked up a couple of toys. She likes that part of the store, fine.

Willow says Happy Valentines!

 

[Pat and Traveler]

J, Willow is adorable! 

[Willow and J]

Thank you~~~~ Trav has lovely color coat!!

(I should stop here. Otherwise, we'd be starting Bachelor and Bachelorette all over again here. :) )

[Pat and Traveler]

:)

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I, too, now groom Roo and Tigger my self after three years of trying to find a groomer.  They both weigh over 50 each and my husband does help.  I do think I could do it my self if I bought one of those arms with a lead on it to hold them on the table.  I just use a regular folding table which works fine.  I did buy a good pair of Andis clippers and a pair of blunt nosed scissors.  Otherwise I just use the comb and brush that I had.

 

I must say that they do not look at all professionally done when I am finished, but in two weeks they look fine.  Tigger was okay with going to the groomer, but not thrilled, Roo hated it.  What I did not like (beside the cost) was that the first time I took them to a groomer, I got A+ service, by the third time I was getting C- service.  Roo was always nicked and I was never told so that I could watch the spot to make sure it healed well.

Groomers depend on customers that have appointments every 4-6 weeks.  More money and much easier to groom the dog.  If you are willing to commit to a regular schedule and tell them up front, I think you could find a small grooming place where Willow is comfortable.  A good groomer will take a dog to "visit' for a half hour and just play with them and let them get used to the place.  Then take her at least once a week for a "visit" adding a little service each time until she feels at home.  Its a big time commitment, but all I can think of to help if you want to continue to use a groomer.